International Journal of Agricultural Policy and Research Vol.8 (3), pp.

55-65, June 2020

Available online at https://www.journalissues.org/IJAPR/
https://doi.org/10.15739/IJAPR.20.007
Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article ISSN 2350-1561

Original Research Article

Effects of land-use changes pattern on tree plantation:

Evidence from gher land in Bangladesh
Received 23 April, 2020 Revised 20 May, 2020 Accepted 23 May, 2020 Published 12 June, 2020

Devashish Kumar Ghosh1,
Md Nuralam Hossain2*,
Md. Nazirul Islam Sarker 3
and
Shahidul Islam4
1Forestry and Wood Technology
Discipline, Khulna University,
Khulna-9208, Bangladesh.
2School of Environment and
Ecology, Chongqing University,
Chongqing 400045, China.
3School of Political Science and
Public Administration, Neijiang
Normal University, Neijiang
641100, China.
4Department of Geography and
Environmental Studies,
University of Chittagong,
Chattogram-4331, Bangladesh.
*Corresponding Author E-mail:
nuralam.05mbstu@gmail.com
Tel.:+ +8801714897195
The southwestern part of Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate
change due to its geographical settings. The adverse effects of climate change
force people to convert cultivable lands into gher practice for improving
livelihood. Therefore, the study aims to explore how land use pattern
influences tree plantation in gher land in Bangladesh. A quantitative
dominant qualitative mixed method has been used, and data have been
collected from 78 respondents comprising farmers practicing tree
plantation and those without tree plantation. This study reveals that the
ownership of gher has a significant impact on planting trees on gher dike. On
the other hand, the farmers with larger gher were more willing to have trees
on their gher dike, whereas dike width more than 6ft is feasible to establish
a plantation. 69% of the farmer has opined that they practice semi-extensive
production systems of gher management (without trees) followed by 44% of
gher management (with trees). Further, 79% of farmers of gher with trees
are well aware of the benefits of planting trees in gher dike, and they want to
plant trees on gher dike willingly. In gher with trees, 62% of respondents
were the owner and are willing to plant trees on their gher dike. On the
other hand, there was a 56% respondent in favor of gher without trees
among whose 54% gher width is 6ft or more. The findings will help local
farmers for developing awareness on the benefits of planting trees on gher
dike to increase gher land productivity and maintain sustainable ecological
balance.
Keywords: Dike width, Gher land, gher size, land use pattern, livelihood pattern,
ownership, tree plantation.

INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries (MVC)
in the world due to climate-induced natural disaster, and
the impact of disaster resulting from ecological destruction
cause a severe hazard to livelihoods and the economic
development of the country (Hossain et al., 2015; Sarker et
al., 2019). It is situated the country in the low-lying Ganges-
Brahmaputra river delta, which are fertile plains in the
world. Concurrently, it is most vulnerable to river erosion,
floods, and cyclones (Islam, 2012; Hossain et al., 2016;
Sadekin et al. 2018a;). The southwestern part of
Bangladesh is extremely vulnerable to climate change
because of riverbank erosion, recurring floods, cyclone,
salinity intrusion, and tidal surge (Hossain et al., 2016;
Hossain et al., 2019). These natural hazards adversely affect
the whole ecosystem, and also lead to loss of human life and
shelters, or the resources essential for their livelihoods
(Ahamed et al., 2012; Sadekin et al., 2018b; Sarker et al.,
2020b). According to the IPCC report (2007), agriculture is
a dominant sector of Bangladesh's economy, and the
southwestern part of the country is very fertile for growing
Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res. 56
rice, which supports most livelihoods. Due to the recurring
coastal flood, water and soil are converted into gher land
(shrimp cultivation) (Ahmed, 2013). For example, in both
Khulna and Satkhira districts,50% of cultivable agricultural
land has been shifted into shrimp farming to resume
livelihoods (IPCC, 2007). Zarin (2015) found that shrimp
farming (gher) upsets the female labor livelihoods and
affect their income and occupation, food consumption and
also lead to the hazardous working environment. Hoque et
al. (2018) reported that the rapid rise of the aquaculture
industry (shrimp gher) due to social-ecological changes and
climate change has significantly affected the livelihoods of
coastal communities in the southwestern region of Khulna,
Bangladesh. Rahman et al. (2013), investigated the constant
and unregulated growth of shrimp farm (gher) has
immense impacts on human health, environment, and
sustainability.
Over time, the land use pattern in Bangladesh has been
transforming. Although Bangladesh is considered a land-
scarce country and per capita cultivated land is only 12.5
decimals (Rahman et al., 2014; Al-Amin, 2018).The per
capita cultivable land is decreasing as the total population
continues to increase (Islam et al., 2019).To meet the basic
demand for overpopulation, exploitation of natural
resources, and environmental degradation has appeared
(Hossain, 2001). The land productivity of Bangladesh is
comparatively low compared to other countries around the
world (Mondal, 2008; Kibria and Jashimuddin, 2012), and
to maximize the land productivity, the farmers use the
existing farmland in the diverse way (Nicholls et al., 2018).
Khulna is located in the southwestern part of Bangladesh,
where cultivable land use pattern has been changing in the
last few decades drastically (Mondal, 2008; Sadekin et al.,
2018c). This change has been occurring mainly to expand
the shrimp culture. Majority of the cultivable agriculture
land has been converted into aquaculture practice due to a
handsome amount of profits(Wilson et al., 2017). This
aquaculture practice converts cultivable lands into gher
practice for bringing change in farmers livelihoods pattern,
affecting the socio-economic condition and ecosystem of
the area (Rahman et al., 2013; Ahmed, 2013).
In contrast, the monoculture is gradually replacing with a
mixed culture, which ultimately leads to reducing crop
diversification (Sarker et al., 2020c). As a result, the area
has become treeless gradually, which also affects local and
regional climatic conditions. These changes in land use
patterns are immensely pressure on ecosystem services
and livelihoods (Sarker et al., 2020a). The benefits of tree
products are extensive, like wood, fibres, food, poisons, and
other chemicals due to the direct interactions of trees
plantations on aquaculture (Swapan and Gavin, 2011;
Ahmed, 2013). The ecological interactions between trees
and aquaculture are evident, on both micro and macro
scales (Islam et al., 2019). Trees play a vital environmental
function, physical structure, shade, reducing soil erosion,
ameliorating soil chemical and increasing water infiltration,
and flood limitation that impacts directly, or indirectly, on
water quality and quantity (Nicholls et al., 2018; Huang et
al., 2018). Thus, tree plantation will affect local and regional
water bodies and subsequent aquaculture activities
(Potapov et al., 2017). The southwestern coastal region of
Bangladesh has the cultivable mixed farmland that has been
changed gradually into gher land with no tress plantation
on dike. Besides, a number of gher land farmers have no
interest in planting trees on their gher dike because of the
negative perception of co-management of trees fish and
crop cultivation. The factors like dike width, ownership of
the gher land, gher management, and gher size are
responsible for the interest in planting trees on gher dike
(Rahman et al., 2013).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area
The present study was carried out at Moikhali village under
Dumuria Upazila of Khulna district, Bangladesh, which is
bordered in the north by Manirampur, Abhaynagar and
Phultala Upazilas, on the south by Batiaghata and
Paikgachha Upazilas, in the east by Khan Jahan Ali,
khalishpur and Sonadanga than as, in the west by
Batiaghata, Tala and Keshabpur Upazilas. The Dhumuria
Upazila is located between 22°39' and 22°56' N and 89°15'
and 89°32' E (Figure 1) with a total area of 454.23 km2 and
about 25 km southwest of the Khulna district, headquarters
of the southwestern part of Bangladesh. The climatic
condition of the study area comprises an annual average
maximum temperature and the minimum temperature to
be 35.5°C (95.9°F), and 12.5°C (54.5°F). The annual average
rainfall is 1710 mm, and the soil condition is alluvial
floodplain. The four main seasons are pre-monsoon
(March-May), monsoon (June-September), post-monsoon
(October-November), and the dry winter season
(December-February). The highest and lowest potential
evapotranspiration is 128.98 mm and 65.17 mm
(Banglapedia, 2015). Argo-ecologically, the study village is
located in the Ganges tidal floodplain (Rahman et al., 2014).
Data collection methods and analysis
The study was conducted using both primary and
secondary data. Primary data were gathered through
various techniques such as site observation, questionnaire
survey, focus group discussion (FGD) with gher farmers
and local communities, and key informant interview (KII).
The data were collected of gher land morphology, benefits
of tree, perception on the influence of trees with fish
production, the response of planting trees, dike stability,
gher management strategies, the sustainability of gher
practices and ownership of the gher land using a semi-
structured questionnaire. A total of 35 questions have
designed and were asked to farmers, labours, gher
management staff, and business persons through face-to-
face interviews for qualitative information. The survey was
administered to 78 gher land farmers (30% of

Figure 1: Location of the study area (Dumuria Upazila in Khulna district)
approximately 260 gher land farmer) in the study village,
selected through a random route sampling method. There
were two groups (39 respondents have gher lands with
trees, and 39 respondents have gher without trees) were
chose to interview for gathering data. The questionnaire
survey, face-to-face interviews, and eyesight observation
were accomplished from March 2012 to February 2013.
Moreover, eight Focus Group Discussion (FGD) sessions
were conducted among farmers, daily labourers, fishers,
and female groups at the Moikhali village, where 32
participants actively attended. During the FGD session, key
questions were asked regarding on the objectives of the
study, such as gher management practices, the impact of
land tenure system on tree plantation in gher
embankments, willingness to plant tree seedlings in their
gher dike, and influence of tree or annual crops on fish
production and their livelihoods. Besides, 4 Key informant
interviews (KII) were conducted with various sectoral
specialists, leaders, and professionals for obtaining the
exact information about the influence of planting trees on
gher dike on land productivity. Secondary information
including journals, books, government documents,
newspaper articles and websites, has been considered as
Ghosh et al. 57
the source of data in this study. The collected Gher related
all morphological data like dike width, gher management
type, dike stability, interest to change dike, ownership, gher
size were edited and coded in a database for further
analysis. The data from the survey has rigorously checked
for consistency and then analyzed using MS Excel 2016 and
SPSS software.
Data on land-use change pattern
In Bangladesh, the land-use pattern has been changing
rapidly since 1971. For future sustainable development, it
is essential to measure this land-use change pattern and
determine its impact on tree plantation on gher land and
livelihoods (Hassan, 2017; Hoque et al., 2018). Over time,
land use pattern changes are connected with land tenure,
labor availability, and proximity to the farmstead and
learning opportunities (Mondal, 2008; Yesmin et al., 2014).
For the present study, we compared the current
agricultural land use and gehr land purpose with the
previous condition and determined its influence on tree
plantation. For this purpose, we took an attempt to analyze
The pattern of land-use changes in the Dumuria Upazila
Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res. 58
Figure 2: Types of gher based on management
during the study period (1980-2011). Data on different
categories of land use patterns were collected from the
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. The land use is categorized
into five including agriculture area, settlement area, gher
(pond, fisheries, and agri-fisheries) area, commercial and
institution area.
RESULTS
Type of gher management
In the study area, there are four types of gher management
practices in existence (Figure 2). Among gher management
practice, the majority of the gher farmer practices semi-
extensive types of gher management. In gher without tree,
69% of farmers are practising semi-extensive gher
management whereas in gher with trees 44% of farmers
practice semi-extensive gher management. The semi-
extensive management practice has been reducing 69% to
44% because the farmers with gher management practice
(without trees) are aware to improve this management
practice. Only 3% of farmers of gher without trees among
the respondent practice improved extensive farming
methods, whereas the lowest percentages of farmers (15%)
of gher with trees are using extensive methods. In both
categories, farmers have the massive opportunity of
applying intensive gher management practice of
approximately 80% as they are practising nearly 20%
intensive gher management for maximizing productivity.
Willingness to widen gher dike
In both areas, most farmers cultivate fish in association
with crops and trees. Therefore, it is necessary to increase
the width of gher dike for the proper management of gher
(Dhar et al., 2020). As displayed in Figure 3, 56% of people
in gher land without trees do not want to increase dike
width for planting trees as they assume that trees have
adverse effects on fish production and crops in gher.
However, 79% of farmers in gher with trees want to
increase the width of gher dike because of the benefits of
planting trees.
Gher management in relation to the ownership
Gher land ownership is an essential factor in influencing
land management and biodiversity(Morshed et al., 2020).
As the farmers get lease gher land from the owner and want
to get higher production by intensive management (Figure
4). The study revealed that 37% of farmers intensively
cultivate their gher land for production, whereas only 3%
use their rented property as an extensive culture. However,
65% of gher owner follows the semi-extensive technology

Figure 3: Willingness to widen gher dike
Figure 4: Gher management concerning the ownership
of gher farming, while 9% owner practice improved
extensive and intensive agriculture, respectively.
Gher management in relation to the size of gher
The analysis indicates that the semi-extensive management
technique is widely practised in both areas (without tress
and with trees) of all sizes of gher (Table 1). According to
the analysis, 53% of farmers of gher without trees follow a
Ghosh et al. 59
semi-extensive management practice that belongs to less
than 6 bighas. In comparison, only 3% of gher are cultured
through improving the extensive way. At a maximum 18%
of farmers of gher management (with trees) follow the
semi-extensive method of cultivation whereas extensive
and improve extensive techniques are not being followed
by any farmers of gher without trees. Here only 8% of
farmers of gher with trees follow the semi-extensive
method of farming while extensive improve the extensive
Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res. 60

Table 1. Gher management relation with the gher size

Extensive Semi-Extensive Improve extensive Intensive

Management
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Ghersize Without With Without With Without With Without With
(Bigha) Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees Trees
less than 6 5 0 53 7 3 8 15 13
6-10 0 3 8 18 0 5 5 5
11-15 3 10 5 10 0 3 0 0
above 15 0 3 3 8 0 4 0 3
Total 8 16 69 43 3 20 20 21

Figure 5: Gher size and effect on fish production

and intensive method of cultivations not followed by any
farmers without trees gher.
Effect of trees on fish production about gher size
The perception of farmers on the effect of trees on fish
production for both cases is showing a downward trend
with the increase of gher size. 82% of farmers who belong
to less than 0.96 ha land thought tree can hamper fish
production of gher management without trees, whereas no
farmers have found above 2.4 ha gher land of that
Management (Figure 5). However, gher with trees has only
43% of farmers with less than 0.96 ha land who think that
trees can reduce fish production.
Gher dike width
Without a surface cover of vegetation, any earth
embankment will be severely eroded within a few years
because of the high monsoon rainfall intensities(Ali, 2006).
For this reason alone, embankments must have a full cover
of vegetation (Islam et al., 2019). Dike width is important
for cultivating crops and for planting trees. This study
exposed that 51% of farmers opined that their gher dike
width is above 6 ft in gher without tree and 44%of farmers
of both areas mentioned that their dike width is 4-5ft
(Figure 6).
Width of gher dike and ownership
The gher dike width is depending on the ownership of gher
land. It is assumed that the borrowed gher farmers usually
reduce their gher dike width for getting more benefits from
aquaculture production. So, 50% of gher owner opined that
their earth dike is 6ft or more while leased gher farmer' s
makes for 26% (Table 2). Having a tree on gher dike also
depends on the ownership of gher land. Among all
respondents of gher with trees, 62% of respondents were
gher owner while 56% for gher without trees. For getting
long-term benefits, a continuous supply of fruits, fodder,

Figure 6: Width of the gher dike
Table 2. Influence of ownership on dike width of gher land
Gher with tree
Dike width Owner
2-3 Feet 5 34
4-5 Feet 45
6 Feet - above 50
Total 100
and fuelwood etc. gher owner is mostly planting trees on
their gher dike. For gher management (without trees) 54%
respondents (owner) said that their dike width was 6ft or
more.
Dike stability with the width
The stability of gher dike depends on the width of the dike
to some extent and trees on gher dike. Both categories of
gher (gher with trees and without trees) land stability with
dike width are shown in Figure 7. The study found that,
with the increase of gher dike width, the stability of gher
dike is also increased. The study found that, with the
increase of gher dike width, the stability of gher dike is also
increased. The dike stability (gher without trees) is the
highest 51% when dike width is 2-3ft, followed by 36% and
2% for a dike width are 4-5ft and 6ft-above. In contrast,
dike stability is 36% and 26% when dike width are 4-5ft
and 6ft-above.
Effects of the tree on dike stability
The farmers and owners of the study areas are concerned
Ghosh et al. 61
Gher without tree
Farmer Owner Farmer
0 12
40 46 42
26 54 46
100 100 100
about the stability of the dikes of their ghers. According to
the survey, it was found that Gher dike is stable in the areas
of gher without a tree (90%) but dikes were less stable
(64%) in the areas of gher with the tree because of dike
width variation (Figure 8). 92% of respondents answered
yes based on their experience with gher management (with
the tree) while 82% were farmers in gher without trees. So,
dike stability can be increase dowing to limiting soil erosion
by planting trees.
Land-use change pattern
In the study area, over time, land use pattern changes are
connected with land tenure, recurrent natural hazards,
labour availability, and proximity to the farmstead and
learning opportunities (Mondal, 2008). According to the
data from Table 3, the area under the settlement, Gher
(pond, fisheries, and agri-fisheries), business, and
institution areas has been increasing. The agricultural
(crop) area has been decreasing within the same period.
The influence of rural to urban migration, natural disasters,
local politics, and land ownership has caused a decreasing
agricultural area. The study reveals that the agricultural
Int. J. Agric. Pol. Res. 62
Figure 7: Gher width and dike stability
Figure 8: Dike stability
area is decreased by 208.39 acres from 1981 to 2011. In
contrast, the gher area, including the pond, fisheries, and
agri-fisheries are increased at 271.36 acres from 2011 to
1981. It might be responsible population explosion,
recurrent natural hazards, the influence of a local leader on
gher land leasing systems for change land use pattern other
than the influence of planting trees on gher dike.
DISCUSSIONS
In gher land with trees, most of the gher (72%) are larger
than 6 bighas (Table 2). Hence, people think that trees have
little influence on fish production by providing shade, leaf,
and litter. Even though there is a little reduction of fish
production, the supplementary economic benefit would
 Ghosh et al. 63

Table 3. Land-use change scenarios of the study area in 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 (unit in acres)

Land use category 1981 1991 2001 2011

Agricultural area 266.54 236.41 89.11 58.15
Settlement area 26.10 38.42 54.2 61.52
Gher area (Including pond, fisheries, and agri-fisheries) 38.08 74.02 202.52 309.44
Commercial area 8.23 9.11 10.56 14.26
Institution area 2.1 3.22 6.38 8.18
Total 341.05 702.23 362.77 451.55
Source: BBS (1981, 1991, 2001,2011)

come from trees through fruits, fuelwood, and fodder
(Kibria and Jashimuddin, 2012). The farmers are planting
the eco and aquaculture friendly trees on the gher dike such
as Coconut, Guava, Safeda, Amra, Neem, Arjun, Mahagony,
Chambul. Thus Mahagony, Neem and Arjun purify the water
to some extend in the environment (Afroz and Alam, 2013;
Islam et al., 2017). To reduce the negative influence of trees
such as shade, leaf, branches on fish production in gher can
be selected for planting trees on gher dike as with the
increase of gher size effect of trees on fish production has
been reduced according to Figure 5. The shade is
sometimes needed for fish production as a shelter for fish
(Morshed et al., 2020). According to the analysis, 69% of
farmers opined that they practiced semi-extensive
production systems for gher management (without trees)
followed by 44% of farmer's are from gher (with trees)
(Figure 2). They simultaneously produce paddy, vegetables,
and fruits in association with fish cultivation at the same
gher land (Hasan et al., 2020). In gher management without
tree, most of the farmers would not like to plant trees
willingly. They assume the tree harms agricultural crop
production and fish cultivation (Hoque et al., 2018).
However, 79% of farmers of gher with trees are well aware
of the benefits of planting trees in gher dike, and they
willingly want to plant trees on gher dike (Figure 3).
Farmers can get more benefits from diversified production
systems because it can incorporate the trees with the
production system, which leads to semi-extensive to the
intensive production system(Rahman et al., 2015). In gher
with the tree, 62% of respondents are the owner and
willing to plant trees on their gher dike. There was 56%
owner respondent in gher without trees among whose 54%
gher, 6ft or more (Table 2).For this reason, gher owner can
be the primary target to increase tree cover on the dike of
gher land in the study area. We frequently use trees for
stabilizing land and bunds traditionally. Farmers find trees
as an important component in stabilizing dikes of gher land
(Afroz and Alam, 2013). Therefore, this information could
provide important insight into the use of trees in dike
management (Alam, 2014). In gher with the trees, a dike
was less stable for smaller dike width but after planting
trees on gher dike, it has increased stability to some extent
(Figure 8). Thus, trees can be planted on the gher dike for
increasing the dike stability. In addition, intensive
vegetation management on dikes can be ecologically and
socially beneficial (Talukder et al., 2016).
Conclusion
Width of the dike is an important criterion for planting
trees on gher dike in gher management. Gher dikes of 6ft or
above are suitable for tree plantation and annual crop
cultivation. Ownership and gher size are also an important
factor for planting trees on gher dike. Furthermore, gher
owners feel much interest to plant trees on their gher dike
than least gher farmers because of long-term benefits like
the continuous supply of fuelwood, fodder, wood, fruits, etc.
Therefore, larger ghers are suitable for practising
agroforestry in the gher land-use system because of less
effect of trees on crop production and fish cultivation.
Besides, trees on gher dike increases the stability of dike.
Competing interest
There is no potential conflict of interest among the authors
concerning this study.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors acknowledged the contribution of the Upazila
of Agricultural Office, Dumuria, Khulna. Thanks are also
given to the faculty members of Forestry and Wood
Technology Discipline (FWT) of Khulna University, for their
suggestion during the study. We acknowledged the help of
anonymous reviewers for polishing the language of the
paper.
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